Fast Facts Redux: Scott Speed

Here’s a NASCAR “Where Are They Now?” story with a
championship ending: Scott Speed took up RallyCross racing in 2013 while still
competing in the Cup Series, winning his first career race in the X Games at
Foz do Iguacu. Last week, he won his first championship in Red Bull Global
RallyCross as part of Andretti Autosport. Here are the updated Fast Facts on
Speed, originally published in May 2013.

Scott Andrew Speed was born Jan. 24, 1983 in Manteca,
California. He began his racing career in karting at age 10, and won the SKUSA
Super Pro title in 2000, along with three IKF regional titles. His brother Alex
still races karts, and has three Stars of Karting titles and three SKUSA
Supernationals titles to his name.

In 2001, Speed moved up to the US Formula Russell series,
winning the title in his first season. He moved on to the Formula Dodge
National Championship and Star Mazda Series in 2002, then on to British Formula
Three in 2003. He was forced to return to the U.S. for treatment of ulcerative
colitis during the 2003 season, but returned to the track in 2004, winning championships
in the Formula Renault 2000 Eurocup and the German Formula Renault series.

Speed’s results in 2004 led to a ride in the GP2 Series in
2005, as well as a spot as a test driver for Red Bull Racing’s Formula One
program as the year progressed. Speed was the first American driver to
participate in an F1 event since Michael Andretti in 1993. He competed in F1
for Red Bull Racing’s Scuderia Toro Rosso in 2006 and part of 2007; he was
released from his contract on July 31, 2007 and replaced by Sebastian Vettel.

While his F1 ride was gone, Speed remained on good terms
with Red Bull, and secured a US-based ride with the team later in 2007. He
raced in selected ARCA Racing Series events in 2007 and the full season in
2008, when he contended for the championship. Speed also made his NASCAR debut
in the Truck Series in March 2008, and his Cup Series debut in October 2008.

Speed not only competed for Red Bull Racing in NASCAR, but
also for Bill Davis Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing, Kevin Harvick Incorporated,
Key Motorsports and Leavine Family Racing among others throughout NASCAR’s top
three tiers.

Speed attempted to qualify for the 2011 Indianapolis 500
with Dragon Racing, but was unable to get the car up to speed; he was later replaced
by Patrick Carpentier, who went on to crash the car in practice.

In 2013, Speed joined Andretti Autosport as a driver in the
Red Bull Global RallyCross Championship. In 2014, Speed and teammate Tanner Foust
(of the U.S. version of Top Gear) led
Volkswagen Andretti Rallycross to top 10 finishes in the championship standings,
and in 2015, Speed won the title with Foust finishing third.

Speed and his wife Amanda are parents of two daughters;
Amanda is the daughter of IHRA and NHRA champ Rickie Smith and sister of two-time
NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle champ Matt Smith. The family lives in North Carolina.